Date: Mon 23 Jun 2014

Welsh Trio Await Europa League Draw

UEFA Europa League first qualifying round draw is this afternoon at 13:00.

Aberystwyth Town end more than a ten year absence from Europe when they enter the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round draw this afternoon.

The Seasiders last played in Europe on June 27th 2004 in their away leg at Latvians FC Dinaburg in the Intertoto Cup and will return in the Europa League on Thursday 3rd July 2014.

Ian Hughes' men will face one of the following six teams; FC Differdange 03 (LUX), Rosenborg BK (NOR), IF Brommapojkarna (SWE), Linfield FC (NIR), Derry City FC (IRL) or JK Nõmme Kalju (EST). The prospect of a tie against one of the Irish sides would appeal to the side from Ceredigion, as would European deutants IF Brommapojkarna from Sweden. The side from western Stockholm are currently bottom of the Swedish top-division with just one win and two draws from their twelve League games and they have qualified as UEFA Respect Fair Play entrants.

Airbus UK BroughtonThe Wingmakers are in their second successive European campaign and remain unbeaten, having drawn twice, but eliminated on away goals last year. Andy Preece's side are in the unseeded side of the draw and will face one of the following six clubs; FH Hafnarfjördur (ISL), two-time UEFA Cup winners IFK Göteborg (SWE), FC Honko Espoo (FIN), Sligo Rovers FC (IRL), UEFA competition debutants FK Haugesund (NOR) or FC Daugava Daugavpils (LVA).

Bangor CityThe Citizens have been placed in the same group as Scottish Premier side Aberdeen, but they are both seeded so can't face each other. Nev Powell's reocrd in Europe in reecnt times has seen the side elevated into the seeded section, so their opponents will be one of the following; Dundalk FC (IRL), Stjarnan (ISL), Crusaders FC (NIR), Tartu FC Santos (EST), ÍF Fuglafjørdur (FRO) or FK Daugava Rga (LVA). Just like Aberystwyth, the Citizens will be pleased with a draw against an Irish outfit, but a trip to the Faroes against ÍF Fuglafjørdur will certainly be a tie that City would hope to progress from. Icelandic outfit Stjarnan are making their UEFA men's club competition debut. Riga would be the least preferred draw for City.

Seventy-eight sides will be in the first qualifying round at UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland in the draw which will be streamed live on UEFA.com. They have been split into seven 'groups' each containing equal numbers of seeded and unseeded teams according to their coefficients.

All 39 ties are played on 3 and 10 July with the reward for the winners a place in the second qualifying round on 17 and 24 July; the draw of which will be held at 13.30.

In both of Monday's draws, each team in each group is allocated a number. Balls containing the seeded numbers are placed in one bowl, with balls for the unseeded numbers in the same group positioned in another (in the first qualifying round, the ten-team Groups 1–3 will be drawn in one go, then the 12–club Groups 4–7). A ball is taken from each bowl and placed in a large empty bowl in the middle, where they are shuffled. The clubs whose numbers correspond to the first ball drawn play their first matches at home, against the sides whose numbers match the next ball drawn.